Scientists can determine the age of ancient objects by the method of radiocarbon dating. The bombardment of the upper atmosphere by cosmic rays converts nitrogen to a radioactive isotope of carbon, 14C, with a half-life of about 5,730 years. Vegetation absorbs carbon dioxide through the atmosphere, and animal life assimilates 14C through food chains. When a plant or animal dies, it stops replacing its carbon, and the amount of 14C present begins to decrease through radioactive decay. Therefore, the level of radioactivity must also decay exponentially. Dinosaur fossils are often dated by using an element other than carbon, like potassium-40, that has a longer half-life (in this case, approximately 1.25 billion years). Suppose the minimum detectable mass is 0.4% and a dinosaur is dated with 40K to be 67 million years old. Is such a dating possible? What is the maximum age (in millions of years) of a fossil that could be dated using 40K? (Round your answer to one decimal place.) (Can you guys stop rejecting the question please and just answer it?)
Scientists can determine the age of ancient objects by the method of radiocarbon dating. The bombardment of the upper atmosphere by cosmic rays converts nitrogen to a radioactive isotope of carbon, 14C, with a half-life of about 5,730 years. Vegetation absorbs carbon dioxide through the atmosphere, and animal life assimilates 14C through food chains. When a plant or animal dies, it stops replacing its carbon, and the amount of 14C present begins to decrease through radioactive decay. Therefore, the level of radioactivity must also decay exponentially.
Dinosaur fossils are often dated by using an element other than carbon, like potassium-40, that has a longer half-life (in this case, approximately 1.25 billion years). Suppose the minimum detectable mass is 0.4% and a dinosaur is dated with 40K to be 67 million years old. Is such a dating possible?
What is the maximum age (in millions of years) of a fossil that could be dated using 40K? (Round your answer to one decimal place.)
(Can you guys stop rejecting the question please and just answer it?)
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